llaneous Poems," which he
inscribed to the Bard of Ettrick. "Barbara Gray," an interesting prose
tale, appeared from his pen in 1835, printed at Newcastle. A collected
edition of his best productions in prose and verse was published at
London in 1852, with the title of "Tales and Sketches." He has long been
a contributor to the provincial journals.

Some of Mr Telfer's ballads are respectable specimens of this class of
compositions; and his tales in prose are written with much vigour, the
narrative of "Barbara Gray" being especially interesting. For many years
he has taught an adventure school at Saughtree, Liddisdale; and with
emoluments not much beyond twenty pounds a-year, he has contrived to
support a family. He has long maintained a literary correspondence with
his ingenious friend, Mr Robert White of Newcastle; and his letters,
some of which we have seen, abound with curious and interesting
speculations.

OH, WILL YE WALK THE WOOD WI' ME?[36]

"Oh, will ye walk the wood wi' me?
Oh, will ye walk the green?
Or will ye sit within mine arms,
My ain kind Jean?"

"It 's I 'll not walk the wood wi' thee,
Nor yet will I the green;
And as for sitting in your arms,
It 's what I dinna mean."

"Oh! slighted love is ill to thole,
And weel may I compleen;
But since that better mayna be,
I e'en maun thol 't for Jean."

"Gang up to May o' Mistycleugh,
Ye saw her late yestreen;
Ye'll find in her a lightsome love
Ye winna find in Jean."

"Wi' bonny May o' Mistycleugh
I carena to be seen;
Her lightsome love I'd freely gie
For half a blink frae Jean."

"Gang down to Madge o' Miryfaulds,
I ken for her ye green;
Wi' her ye 'll get a purse o' gowd--
Ye 'll naething get wi' Jean."

"For doity Madge o' Miryfaulds
I dinna care a preen;
The purse o' gowd I weel could want,
If I could hae my Jean."

"Oh, yes! I 'll walk the wood wi' thee;
Oh, yes! I 'll walk the green;
But first ye 'll meet me at the kirk,
And mak' me aye your Jean."

FOOTNOTES:

[36] Portions of the first and second verses of this song are fragments
of an older ditty.--_Note by the Author._

I MAUN GAE OVER THE SEA.

"Sweet summer now is by,
And cauld winter is nigh,
The wan leaves they fa' frae the tree;
The hills are white wi' snaw,
And the fros